While Australia is generally a safe place, there are some simple, but important things all international students should do to look out for themselves during their stay .
Here are the essential things that you need to know to in order to keep safe during your time abroad.
1. Know how to call emergency
The emergency phone number in Australia is 000. Through this number you can get, police, fire or ambulance.
There are all kinds of emergency situations that you might come across. Identify one by using the Australian Attorney General Department’s Checklist below. Just ask yourself:
- Is someone seriously injured or in need of urgent medical help?
- Is your life or property being threatened?
- Have you just witnessed a serious accident or crime?
If you answered YES call OOO
2. Be street smart
Staying safe while you’re out and about involves a doing a combination of things:
- Always know where you’re going.
- Stick to main streets and don’t take shortcuts.
- Plan ahead and know how you’re going to get home at the end of a night out.
- Let someone know where you’re going and when they should expect you back (or tell them you’ll call them at a certain time).
- Don’t walk around with any valuables visible.
- Stay alert to what’s going on around you.
- If you travel on public transport, travel up the front near the driver.
- Make sure your phone is always charged and has credit.
- Carry a personal alarm.
3. Download safety apps
- Get home safe lets you set an ‘expected duration’ for the amount of time you’re doing something – like walking home – and sends an alert if you don’t make it.
- Watch over me, is used in more than 100 different countries, it has shake alerts and a GPS tracking feature.
- St John Ambulance has an app for medical emergencies.
- Most universities/institutions have safety apps just for their campus, find out if yours has one and download it.
4. Take a first aid course
If you haven’t already, it’s a really good idea to take a first aid course. By knowing first aid you could save another person’s life (or potentially even your own). In addition, it’s a good thing to have on a resume. St John Ambulance and Australian Red Cross both run first aid courses. Your institution might even run discounted ones, so check their website.
